US6553129B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer system linked by using information in data objects
Assignee: Digimarc Corp
•
Filing: 2000-04-28
•
Granted: 2003-04-22
•
Expires: 2020-04-28
Abstract
Abstract Various improvements to steganographic systems, and applications therefore, are disclosed. The improvements include facilitating scale and rotation registration for steganographic decoding by use of rotationally symmetric steganographically embedded patterns and subliminal digital graticules; improved techniques for decoding without access to unencoded originals; improving robustness of steganographic coding in motion pictures and/or in the presence of lossy compression/decompression; and representing data by patterned bit cells whose energy in the spatial domain facilitates decoding registration. Applications include enhanced-security financial transactions, counterfeit resistant identification cards, fraud deterrent systems for cellular telephony, covert modem channels in video transmissions, photo duplication kiosks with automatic copyright detection, and hotlinked image objects (e.g. with embedded URLs) for use on the internet.
Inventors
- 👤 Geoffrey Rhoads
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:00
CPC Classifications
B; B42; B42D; B42D25/00; B42D25/30; B42D25/333; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06F21/00; G06F21/10; G06F21/106; G06F21/1063; G06F21/16; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/06009; G06K19/06037; G06K19/06046; G06K19/08; G06K19/10; G06K19/14; G06K19/18; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14; G06K7/1404; G06K7/1408; G06K7/1417; G06K7/1439; G06K7/1447; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/12; G06Q20/123; G06Q20/1235; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/005; G06T1/0064; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/40; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/20; G07C9/22; G07C9/25; G07C9/253; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/003; G07D7/0032; G07D7/0034; G07D7/004; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/26; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/086; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G07F7/1016; G07F7/12; G10; G10L; G10L19/00; G10L19/018; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00086; G11B20/00094; G11B20/00166; G11B20/0021; G11B20/00884; G11B20/00891; H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/66; H04B1/665; H04K; H04K1/00; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00002; H04N1/00005; H04N1/00026; H04N1/00037; H04N1/00071; H04N1/00074; H04N1/00079; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32122; H04N1/32144; H04N1/32149; H04N1/32154; H04N1/3216; H04N1/32203; H04N1/32208; H04N1/32251; H04N1/32288; H04N1/32352; H04N19/00; H04N19/46; H04N19/467; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/238; H04N21/2389; H04N21/23892; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/835; H04N21/8358; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; G06K2019/06215; G06K2019/06253; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0052; G06T2201/0083; H04L; H04L2463/00; H04L2463/103; H04L63/00; H04L63/10; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91321; H04N2005/91335; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3204; H04N2201/3205; H04N2201/3207; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3226; H04N2201/323; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3235; H04N2201/3246; H04N2201/3249; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/327; H04N2201/3271; H04N2201/3274; H04N2201/328; H04N2201/3281; H04W; H04W8/00; H04W8/18; H04W8/20; H04W84/00; H04W84/02; H04W84/04; H04W84/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A method comprising: receiving a plural-bit watermark including an identifier from a watermark decoder that decodes same from an object; providing said identifier to a remote database through the internet; receiving from said database a profile of a proprietor of said object, said profile including proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
50 words
A method comprising: receiving a plural-bit watermark including an identifier from a watermark decoder that decodes same from an object; providing said identifier to a remote database through the internet; receiving from said database a profile of a proprietor of said object, said profile including proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which the object is an image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A computer-readable storage medium having instructions cooperating with an image editing program for performing the.following method: receiving a plural-bit watermark including an identifier from an image watermark decoder associated with the image editing program; providing said identifier to a remote database through the internet; and receiving from said database a profile of a proprietor of said image, said profile including the proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
A computer-readable storage medium having instructions cooperating with an image editing program for performing the.following method: receiving a plural-bit watermark including an identifier from an image watermark decoder associated with the image editing program; providing said identifier to a remote database through the internet; and receiving from said database a profile of a proprietor of said image, said profile including the proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The storage medium of claim 3 in which the medium includes instructions to insert in a drop-down menu associated with said image editing program an option permitting invocation of a read watermark function.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
49 words
A method comprising: from a first computer, accessing a second computer over the internet to obtain issuance of an ID; and at the first computer, watermarking an electronic object with said ID; wherein the second computer serves as a central issuing authority for watermark IDs for plural first computers.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
49 words
A method comprising: from a first computer, accessing a second computer over the internet to obtain issuance of an ID; and at the first computer, watermarking an electronic object with said ID; wherein the second computer serves as a central issuing authority for watermark IDs for plural first computers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 in which the second computer presents to the first computer a form soliciting information, at least some of which must be completed before issuance of the ID.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
42 words
A method comprising: loading an electronic content object into RAM memory of a computer device, the content object comprising audio or image data; and detecting a digital watermark embedded in said content as an automatic operation, rather than as a user-initiated operation.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
42 words
A method comprising: loading an electronic content object into RAM memory of a computer device, the content object comprising audio or image data; and detecting a digital watermark embedded in said content as an automatic operation, rather than as a user-initiated operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 in which the computer device is a personal computer that includes an image editing program.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 that further includes alerting a user of said computer device in response to said detection of a watermark.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7 in which said loading comprises copying at least part of said content object to a virtual clipboard maintained by an operating system of said computer device.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of obtaining a profile of the proprietor of an object from data recorded in.a watermark in said object, said object being located on a first computer, said method comprising the steps of: decoding said watermark from said object, said watermark including an identifier; sending said identifier to a remote database through the internet in order to obtain said profile of said proprietor, receiving from said database a profile of said proprietor of said object, said profile including proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of obtaining a profile of the proprietor of an object from data recorded in.a watermark in said object, said object being located on a first computer, said method comprising the steps of: decoding said watermark from said object, said watermark including an identifier; sending said identifier to a remote database through the internet in order to obtain said profile of said proprietor, receiving from said database a profile of said proprietor of said object, said profile including proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which can cooperate with an image editing program and with other programs to perform the following steps: decoding a plural-bit watermark including an identifier from an image, providing said identifier to a remote database through the internet; and receiving from said database a profile of a proprietor of said image, said profile including the proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which can cooperate with an image editing program and with other programs to perform the following steps: decoding a plural-bit watermark including an identifier from an image, providing said identifier to a remote database through the internet; and receiving from said database a profile of a proprietor of said image, said profile including the proprietor name and contact information.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of enabling a multi-computer system to embed and read a watermark, the method comprising the steps of: (a) storing a plurality of creator identifiers and creator contact data corresponding to each of the creator identifiers in a first memory electrically connected to a first digital electrical computer system, which is also electrically connected to a first input device and a first output device; (b) enabling a second digital electrical computer system to embed a watermark in a digital photographic image, the watermark including one of the plurality of creator identifiers, the second digital electrical computer system electrically connected to a second input device and a second output device; (c) enabling a third digital electrical computer system to read the watermark in the digital photographic image to reveal the one of the plurality of creator identifiers, the third digital electrical computer system electrically connected to a third input device and a third output device; and (d) enabling communication across a network to communicate the revealed one of the plurality of creator identifiers to the first digital electrical computer to obtain the creator contact data corresponding to the one of the plurality of creator identifiers from the memory.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of enabling a multi-computer system to embed and read a watermark, the method comprising the steps of: (a) storing a plurality of creator identifiers and creator contact data corresponding to each of the creator identifiers in a first memory electrically connected to a first digital electrical computer system, which is also electrically connected to a first input device and a first output device; (b) enabling a second digital electrical computer system to embed a watermark in a digital photographic image, the watermark including one of the plurality of creator identifiers, the second digital electrical computer system electrically connected to a second input device and a second output device; (c) enabling a third digital electrical computer system to read the watermark in the digital photographic image to reveal the one of the plurality of creator identifiers, the third digital electrical computer system electrically connected to a third input device and a third output device; and (d) enabling communication across a network to communicate the revealed one of the plurality of creator identifiers to the first digital electrical computer to obtain the creator contact data corresponding to the one of the plurality of creator identifiers from the memory.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of enabling the second digital electrical computer to automatically detect the watermark when the image is first examined by the second digital electrical computer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of enabling the second digital electrical computer to selectably detect the watermark when the image is examined by the second digital electrical computer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein: (a) the network includes the Internet; (b) the watermark includes information identifying a World Wide Web site; and wherein (c) the third digital electrical computer system is enabled to load a World Wide Web browser and connect to the World Wide Web site in response to the revealed one of the plurality of creator identifiers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the watermark includes extended data including at least one member from the group consisting of an organization identifier, a transaction identifier, and an item identifier.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the steps are implemented as computer-executable instructions.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of enabling a multi-computer system to embed a watermark in a digital image, read a watermark from the image, and obtain contact information about the image, the method comprising the steps of: (a) enabling storage of an identifier and the contact information corresponding to the identifier in a first memory on a first computer, which is electrically connected to an Internet; (b) enabling a second computer to embed a watermark in the image, the watermark including the identifier, the second computer electrically connected to the Internet; (c) enabling a third computer to read the watermark in the image to reveal the identifier, the third computer electrically connected to the Internet; and (d) enabling the third computer to communicate the identifier across the Internet to the first computer in order to obtain the contact information corresponding to the identifier.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of enabling a multi-computer system to embed a watermark in a digital image, read a watermark from the image, and obtain contact information about the image, the method comprising the steps of: (a) enabling storage of an identifier and the contact information corresponding to the identifier in a first memory on a first computer, which is electrically connected to an Internet; (b) enabling a second computer to embed a watermark in the image, the watermark including the identifier, the second computer electrically connected to the Internet; (c) enabling a third computer to read the watermark in the image to reveal the identifier, the third computer electrically connected to the Internet; and (d) enabling the third computer to communicate the identifier across the Internet to the first computer in order to obtain the contact information corresponding to the identifier.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the contact information identifies an owner of the watermark or the digital image.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the contact information identifies a creator of the digital image.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the steps are implemented as computer-executable instructions.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
113 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: (a) storing an identifier and contact information corresponding to the identifier in a first memory on a first computer, which is electrically connected to an Internet; (b) enabling a second computer to embed a watermark in an image, the watermark including the identifier, the second computer electrically connected to the internet; (c) enabling a third computer to read the watermark in the image to reveal the identifier, the third computer electrically connected to the Internet; and (d) enabling the third computer to communicate the identifier across the Internet to the first computer in order to obtain the contact information corresponding to the identifier.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
113 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: (a) storing an identifier and contact information corresponding to the identifier in a first memory on a first computer, which is electrically connected to an Internet; (b) enabling a second computer to embed a watermark in an image, the watermark including the identifier, the second computer electrically connected to the internet; (c) enabling a third computer to read the watermark in the image to reveal the identifier, the third computer electrically connected to the Internet; and (d) enabling the third computer to communicate the identifier across the Internet to the first computer in order to obtain the contact information corresponding to the identifier.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the contact information identifies an owner of the watermark or the digital image.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the contact information identifies a creator of the digital image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
86 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: (a) enabling an embedding computer to embed a watermark in an image, the watermark including an identifier, the embedding computer electrically connected to an Internet; (b) enabling a reading computer to read the watermark in the image to reveal the identifier, the reading computer electrically connected to the Internet; and (c) enabling the reading computer to communicate the identifier across the Internet to a server computer in order to obtain contact information corresponding to the identifier.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
86 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: (a) enabling an embedding computer to embed a watermark in an image, the watermark including an identifier, the embedding computer electrically connected to an Internet; (b) enabling a reading computer to read the watermark in the image to reveal the identifier, the reading computer electrically connected to the Internet; and (c) enabling the reading computer to communicate the identifier across the Internet to a server computer in order to obtain contact information corresponding to the identifier.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the contact information identifies an owner of the watermark or the digital image.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the contact information identifies a creator of the digital image.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
69 words
A method comprising: issuing codes for use in steganographically embedding in electronic objects; creating a registry of the codes to correspond to the codes steganographically embedded in electronic objects; in the registry, storing an association between information about an electronic object and a code that is steganographically embedded in the electronic object, wherein the registry serves as a database accessible by users to get information about the electronic objects.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
69 words
A method comprising: issuing codes for use in steganographically embedding in electronic objects; creating a registry of the codes to correspond to the codes steganographically embedded in electronic objects; in the registry, storing an association between information about an electronic object and a code that is steganographically embedded in the electronic object, wherein the registry serves as a database accessible by users to get information about the electronic objects.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 29 wherein the registry serves as a central issuing authority for the codes.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 29 wherein the registry is accessible via the internet.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 29 wherein the registry is accessible via a telecommunications network to enable users to provide an association between a code and information about an electronic object in which the code is to be steganographically embedded.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-04-21 | 2006-10-21 | 2007-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-21 | 2010-10-21 | 2011-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-21 | 2014-10-21 | 2015-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |